Australia and Malaysia back Pope Leo’s call for end of US-Iran war after his war of words with Donald Trump

Australia and Malaysia have backed Pope Leo’s call for peace and an end to conflict in the Middle East, after President Donald Trump repeatedly attacked the Pontiff for speaking out about the number of innocent people being killed in the Iran war.

At a joint press conference with Anthony Albanese, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said any “reasonable or sane person” would back the Pope’s plea for global peace.

“Well, Albanese is a Catholic, I’m a Muslim, but we share something in common: we have very high regard and respect for Pope Leo. He expressed the voice of conscience.”

“We have followed the Pope’s recent statements and share his desire for peace, for justice, and for an end to atrocities,” Mr Anwar said standing next to his Australian guest.

The Malaysian leader added: “I think any reasonable or sane person, and even I as a Muslim and Malaysians generally, certainly support the position taken by the Pope.

“I think people across the world should support the call for peace and oppose any form of injustice or atrocities.

“Whether he (the Pope) made the reference specifically to Gaza or to the situation in the Middle East, or for that matter, to the aftermath of the Israeli and American attack on Tehran and Iran”.

Mr Albanese, who is visiting Malaysia as part of a tour of Asia focussed on fuel security, said he was honoured to have had an audience with Pope Leo a year after his inaugural Mass.

“I found him a very thoughtful, dignified, and extraordinary person who will provide leadership not just to the Catholic Church but will be a very significant figure in global affairs, as was his predecessor, Pope Francis,” Mr Albanese said.

“Right now, we are seeing the consequences of conflict — a conflict on the other side of the world. Everyone is aware of it now. There are consequences of conflict, including the loss of innocent life, but there are also extraordinary economic consequences affecting people everywhere at the moment.

“That is why we will continue to argue for de-escalation and for a resolution through dialogue rather than through military action,” he added.

This week the US President has criticised Pope Leo as “terrible” in a rare direct attack on the pontiff, who responded that he had “no fear” of the White House administration and would continue to denounce the horrors of the Iran war.

The President’s comments came after the pope had spoken out, with growing force, against the US-Israeli war on Iran ‌and the Trump administration’s immigration policies.